The announcement of the marriage came via fax by Matsumoto's managing organization to several media outlets, including a personal message by Matsumoto himself: 'My partner will become an average citizen and is currently pregnant. Ihara, a former weather announcer for the Japanese news program 'ズームイン!! SUPER' (Zoom In!! Super) is nineteen years Matsumoto's junior, and apparently became pregnant by Matsumoto, prompting the marriage. On the evening of May 17, 2009, it was announced that Matsumoto's official bachelorhood had ended with a secret marriage ceremony between himself and the aforementioned Ihara. It was revealed in July 2008 that Matsumoto was dating then 25-year-old tarento Ihara Rin.

He mentioned his dislike for children and said that if he married and had children, he would end up seeing them as rivals for his wife's attention. He stated that he was not into romance, finding acts such as sharing a bed or bathing with someone else bothersome and unnecessary. Matsumoto remained single with no history of marriage for years after his comedy partner, Hamada, was married with children. Together, they became Downtown, and made their major debut in 1983. Although he secured a job at a printing office, to pursue his dream of becoming a comedian, he was invited by Hamada in 1982 to enter Yoshimoto Kōgyō. He graduated from Amagasaki Technical High School in 1982.

He attended Ushio Elementary School, where he met Masatoshi Hamada. His favourite manga as a child was Tensai Bakabon by Fujio Akatsuka. He credits his poverty for giving him a good imagination and sense of play, as it forced him to invent his own games to entertain himself. In his poem, he wrote how laughter was the only way to get through those times. He has expressed his feelings about growing up in a poor household in a poem titled Chicken Rice (チキンライス, Chikin Raisu) which Hamada turned into a song in 2004. He has one older sister and one older brother, Matsumoto Takahiro (松本隆博), an established folk guitarist who released an autobiographical book titled ' Matsumoto's Older Brother' (松本の兄, Matsumoto no Ani). Matsumoto was born in Amagasaki, Hyōgo to a poor family.

Downtown no gaki no tsukai